Improvement in blind-stops



UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM A. CLARK, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN BLIND-STOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters lfatent No. 158,200, dated December 29, 1874;. application filed September 10, 1874.

To all whom it may co'ncernr Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. CLARK, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have inventedcertain Improvements in Blind-Stops, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to blind-stops; and it consists of an eccentric friction bar or plate attached to the slat, with a spring secured to the frame, for the purpose of holding the slats at any desired angle, and locking them closed, as hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a windowblind, showing the device attached. Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, front and side views of the friction-bar detached.

In constructing my improved device, I provide a friction bar or plate, a, which may be made of wire or sheet metal, as may be most convenient. This friction-piece a is provided at its ends with eyes or holes for screws, by which it can be secured to the bottom slat, these eyes being preferably formed in the extremities, one of which is bent or turned out at one side, and the other at the opposite side, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to give it a firmer bearing on the slat. It is also made'eccentric 011 its face, for the purpose of increasing the friction as the slats are turned to a horizontal position, to counteract the increased tendency of the slats to turn in consequence of the weight of the rod C acting with greater leverage as it is swung outward by the turning of the slats to the horizontal position. At its lower end this friction-piece a has a notch, 01, formed in it, as shown in Fig. 3, for the spring to engage in and lock the slats fast when completely closed, to prevent them from being rat tled by the wind. I then provide a small spring-bar, b, which I secure to the frame, as represented in Fig. 1, in such a manner that it will press against the outer face of the piece a, and by the friction thus created will hold the slats stationary.

The face of the friction-piece being smooth, or without notches, it will be seen that a person can readily turn the slats to any desired angle by the use of one hand only, it only being necessary to take hold of one of the slats B, or the rod C, and move them, the piece a, turning with them, and being held where left by the spring Z), which constantly presses against it.

In this way I am able to construct an exceedingly simple, cheap, and eflicient device.

I am aware that a spring has been used in connection with a serrated bar or plate for this purpose; but I am not aware that an ec- V centric bar or plate, or any equivalent device, has ever been used in this connection, whereby the friction eould'be increased as the slats were turned to a horizontal position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is A blind-stop consisting of the eccentric friction-piece a, in combination with the spring 1), arranged to bear thereon, substantially as shown and described.

4 WILLIAM A. CLARK. Witnesses:

W. (J. DODGE, WIL W. DODGE. 

